


Small Victories

by mitsukyu



Category: Winner (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, Friendship, M/M, OT5
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 01:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7293736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitsukyu/pseuds/mitsukyu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jinwoo is a perfectly respectable Hufflepuff, who never meant to make friends with a Slytherin revolutionary or fall in love with a Gryffindor who draws him magical maps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. after the end

**Author's Note:**

> sup tl;dr storytime: the first thing I wrote when I got into this fandom in March was HP AU. I eventually gave up on it because it wasn't working. I was still fond of parts of it though. Some people on twitter saw some bits and loved them too. (ilu guys <3 weeps) So I went back to it and figured out what wasn't working and... welcome to the attempt to tell the story that, it turned out, I wanted to tell? In chapters? Hi.

He could smell the sea. 

He dragged his trunk up the narrow stairs to the bedroom that now felt strange and lonely. Only suited to summer vacations. The window was open, the curtains moved in the breeze. The pink sweater that Mino had left when he was here last summer is still hanging over the chair at the little desk under the window. 

Jinwoo carded a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. He couldn't believe it had already been a year. He'd just never gotten around to returning it. That was fine. It was fine. There would be plenty more opportunities to not return it. 

He heaved the trunk onto the bed. It was a white, narrow bed. Light blue sheets. Mino had slept on a mattress on the floor. It was a world away from the massive four-poster with the patchwork quilt, which had fit Jinwoo thrice over, had fit him and Seunghoon and Yixing and Dongwoo during midnight tournaments of exploding snap. 

At least his light blue sheets didn't have any scorch marks. 

He poked at the contents of the trunk. 

There were little bits and pieces of magic in its small recesses, sunk down to the bottom among the robes and cauldron and piles of books. Flickering like gems. 

Or colored pebbles. 

On top of his dress robes was the Remembrall that Seungyoon had gotten him one Christmas, tied to a bag of Sugar Quills, when Jinwoo had forgotten to buy him a present. The Sneakoscope next to it had been a present from Mino. There was the odd lost Chocolate Frog card and a gently flailing pawn from his Wizard Chess set. 

He picked up the latter between thumb and forefinger and looked at it hard. Or possibly from Seunghoon's Wizard Chess set. Oops.

Underneath it all was a general detritus of broken quills and candy wrappers, socks that had played a part in shrinking experiments and potion ingredients he didn't want to think about. (He hadn't folded the little paper bag of beetle eyes properly shut and he would pay for it for the rest of his life, probably. He'd still be finding them at the bottom of his trunk when he was old and grey, he was sure of it.)

There were other little squares of magic, pressed safely between the pages of his textbooks, the odd one tucked between his school robes. He lifted out the Standard Book of Spells (grade seven). 

Jinwoo had hoarded dozens of photographs. Photographs of home. His mom, his dad, his childhood friends. The sea in the background. For the past seven years, they'd been tacked up on the wall behind his bed. The four-poster with the patchwork quilt. 

After seven years, now back in his old bedroom on the island, they were outnumbered by the new pictures. 

Among others. Seunghoon flying, making loop de loops through the photographed sky in black and yellow Quidditch robes. He was far enough away that you could barely tell it was Seunghoon, his face a pinprick against the blue sky. But Jinwoo would recognize him anywhere. Every line of his body and every movement, sharp and controlled, screamed Seunghoon. 

Tucked in the back of Experimental Methods in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Seunghoon drinking butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. Seunghoon sitting between Seungyoon and Mino, all screaming at something long forgotten. Seunghoon and Joohyun, making peace signs and kissy faces. Sometimes Joohyun rested her head against Seunghoon's shoulder and Seunghoon's face went soft. 

So did Jinwoo's. 

Seunghoon and Jinwoo making silly faces, sticking out their tongues. Once in a while Seunghoon made the most hilarious murderous face and dragged Jinwoo out of the frame. ("Why do you do that?" Jinwoo had asked, giggling at the picture back in sixth year. Taehyun had taken it the week before and had handed it to Jinwoo at breakfast. Seunghoon had shaken his head sadly, slathering jam onto his toast. 

"You're too handsome even when making dumb faces. It shouldn't be allowed," he said. He tried to look long-suffering. It didn't help that his cheeks bulged with toast. Jinwoo had laughed until he was bent double, al ost face planting in his porridge.) 

Carefully folded between the middle pages of his Advanced Transfiguration reader, there was a picture of Seungyoon smiling and waving, cheeks round and mouth stretched wide. Another one of Seungyoon asleep in the Library, a giant tome for a pillow. His mouth was parted just slightly. Probably no one had ever innocently drooled on Creations of Ghosts in Rural China: An Anthology before. 

Seungyoon in front of the Great Lake, jumping up and down in victory. He grinned, beyond the camera, at Taehyun taking the photo. The water sparkling in the sun behind Seungyoon was suspiciously orange. ("Don't ever show this to any authority figure ever," Taehyun had made him promise before handing the photo over. "It can probably be construed as evidence or whatever.") 

Between the pages of Ritual Practice Among Modern Merpeople, Seungyoon and Jinwoo in the Hufflepuff common room. Seungyoon had Rei in his lap and gently petted her and Jinwoo leaned against his side, blinking sleepily. Once, on a slow repeat forever, absent-mindedly petting Seungyoon's curly brown hair. 

Taehyun preferred taking photos over posing for them, most of the time. Jinwoo was tenacious, however, and he had about a dozen photographs pressed between the pages of various books, where Taehyun wasn't hiding behind furniture or spellwork. 

There was one of him smiling proudly in his brand new silver and green Quidditch robes, Beater's bat in hand. The wind ruffled his hair. It had been taken only three years before but Taehyun looked so young that Jinwoo's heart ached. Another of him reading in front of the fire, taken without him noticing. He turned pages so carefully. 

At page 105 of Jinwoo's Transfiguration reader, one of Taehyun and Mino posing deliberately, heads tilted back and making eyes at the camera. Taehyun bit his lip and Mino made bedroom eyes that made Jinwoo tremble a little. It had been taken just before the terrible party in Jinwoo's sixth year. Seunghoon had taken the photo with Taehyun's camera. They'd been happy and excited, giggling as soon as the picture was done, and Jinwoo could just about see the curl of a smile in the corner of Taehyun's mouth. He'd managed to rescue and hide it before either Taehyun or Mino could tear it up. 

Taehyun and Jinwoo, laughing and hugging while their Patronuses jumped and danced around their legs, a cat and a hare caught in an endless race. 

Jinwoo had a lot of photos of Mino. Mino grinning in excitement, Mino smiling tiredly, eyes double lidded. Mino dancing, a look of utter satisfaction on his face. Jinwoo laughed as he watched. He felt a wave of fondness so big it almost hurt. Mino eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and making faces. Jinwoo could almost guess the flavors by Mino's expression, so much more reliable than the inviting jelly colors. 

Stuck inbetween the next pages, Mino all wrapped up and standing in a foot of snow. He was carefully assembling snowballs. One came flying in off-picture and hit Mino in the face. He rolled in the snow, arms and legs flailing. 

Mino and Jinwoo with their arms around each other, making kissy faces at the camera until inevitably one of them turned and leaned in to kiss the other full on the mouth. 

Jinwoo's favorite photo of all was one that Seunghoon took last month. Their last summer at Hogwarts. The year before, Taehyun had given Seunghoon a wizarding camera for his birthday. It should have worked. No one knew why it hadn't worked. All five of them were frozen in the muggle picture, smiling and making faces. Taehyun had his eyes almost closed, Seunghoon's mouth was a perfect o of surprise. Seungyoon was beaming. He still had colored splotches on his cheek where an experimental potion hadn't gone the way he'd planned. Mino winked at the camera, cheek pressed against Jinwoo's. They were pressed close together to fit all five of them in the frame. Arms around each other's shoulders. A slice of happiness frozen in time. 

Jinwoo smoothed a hand over it and, for now, replaced it gently between the heavy cover and the first page of the Standard Book of Spells. There was a folded piece of thick parchment there already. The map Mino had drawn for him years ago. A lifetime ago. He ran a finger over it. He'd left Hogwarts so recently and still he didn't feel quite up to it to see it in ink on paper. 

He scrubbed a hand over his face. 

They hadn't managed to change the world. But now for the first time, back in his old room on the island, his heart aching as he stared at all of their faces, Jinwoo felt like they'd changed enough of it. 

They'd changed him, anyway. 

He got up and picked up Mino's pink sweater, pulling it over his head. He started to unpack. 


	2. before the beginning

Kang Minhyuk was _RAVENCLAW_ and then there was no one left between Kim Jinwoo and, probably, MORTIFICATION. He took a deep breath. The girl behind him whispered a cheerful good luck and he was stumbling towards the hat, legs shaking.

It slid over his eyes as he put it on. That was something, at least. He couldn't see the sea of faces staring at him. Jinwoo had never gotten seasick in his life. For the first time, he felt like he understood what it meant.

_Well, well,well. What shall we do with you?_

He chewed on his bottom lip and said nothing, thought nothing. He'd frozen in his seat. He didn't know.

Who was he? What did he want? 

Gryffindor, Yongseon had said on the train, eyes sparkling. Jinwoo had sat down next to her because she'd smiled like they were on the biggest, best adventure of their lives. Jinwoo was confused and a little frightened. Her happiness was a good reminder, something to hold on to. Gryffindor, Yongseon had sighed happily, because that was the place for heroes and she wanted to be a hero.

Junmyeon, in the seat across from them, had grinned widely and leaned in, elbows on his knees. Or Ravenclaw, he'd added. Gryffindor or Ravenclaw were the best. Everyone said. Jinwoo made appropriate noises of agreement. 

He'd munched on chocolate frogs and laughed with his new friends. He'd thought he probably shouldn't count on getting sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. 

He suspected he wasn't the best. Not Gryffindor or Ravenclaw material. He was still going to be a hero, he'd sworn to himself, that first train ride to Hogwarts. He was just starting to think that becoming one would mean a lot of hard work first.

And yet.

I want to be in Gryffindor. Or Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw will do as well, he rehearsed. He could always ask.

But on the stool, hat brim sliding over his eyes and outside of it the sea of faces, fear gripped his heart and all he could think was—

Anything, anywhere. Except Slytherin. Don't put me in Slytherin. 

The war was over long ago and the island far away, but Jinwoo knew that much.

_Slytherin? You might do well in Slytherin. You're ambitious. Slytherin could help you—_

Anywhere but Slytherin, Jinwoo thought. I'm not a bad person.

_Ambition is strength, if you control it instead of letting it control you. It's something to be proud of._

No, Jinwoo maintained. He wondered how many others had sat here, had suspected that there was something _not good_ curling in the back of their heads. Pleaded with a piece of faded cloth to not let the whole world know. 

Maybe Gryff— anywhere else.

The sorting hat didn't whisper its reply, but announced _HUFFLEPUFF_ out towards the sea of people. Jinwoo poured himself off of the stool and on shaky legs stumbled over to the yellow and black table that had erupted in cheers. The ground itself was moving like waves. 

He wasn't sure what it meant; Hufflepuff. It wasn't heroic Gryffindor or brilliant Ravenclaw, but at least it wasnt the worst either. Anywhere else, he guessed. This was anywhere else.

He sat next to a pretty girl, short blonde hair framing her face and she beamed at him. He had his hands clasped and his shoulders punched from people all around him. He felt vaguely stunned.

Behind him, Kim Junmyeon was sorted into _RAVENCLAW_ and Kim Yongseon was the first _GRYFFINDOR_. Jinwoo wasn't surprised, really, thinking of their bright eyes. But it all seemed to happen a long way away. Red and blue tables cheering in another universe. 

After that, both Lee Minyoung and Lee Seunghoon were _HUFFLEPUFF_. Jinwoo barely noticed, clutching a glass of water, until a tall gangly boy slid into the seat next to him, nudging him excitedly, grin so wide his eyes were mere crescents. Jinwoo couldn't help but smile back.

"I'm Lee Seunghoon," he said, offering his hand, after he'd greeted their seniors and everyone had sat back down. "I noticed you earlier! I'm glad we're in the same house." 

Jinwoo clasped his hand tightly. 

"Me too," he said. He hadn't noticed Seunghoon before. Too busy in his own head. He hadn't seen him on the train, either. But Seunghoon was here now and Jinwoo meant what he said. 

Seunghoon turned back around to watch the rest of the sorting ceremony and Jinwoo tried to pay attention, wishing for it to be over. He wanted to talk to his new friends and eat and not have to think about the sorting; about who he'd turned out to be.

All four tables steadily filled up. They welcomed more Hufflepuffs and at last, with a final _HUFFLEPUFF_ reverberating through the Great Hall and standing up to shake Zhang Yixing's hand across the table, the sorting ended. 

"This is it then," Seunghoon said, as they sat back down. "We're here now. It's going to be fun!" 

Jinwoo met Yixing's eyes. The other looked even more lost than Jinwoo felt, so he smiled encouragingly. 

"Yes. It's going to be fun." 

Seunghoon beamed. 

"So, what class are you most looking forward to?" Seunghoon asked, when food had appeared on the table. Jinwoo ladeled rice on his plate. 

"I don't know? Everything, I guess? I'm excited about Transfiguration," he admitted. Seunghoon nodded. 

"Transfiguration sounds the coolest! Although also difficult," he added, making a face. "I'm looking forward to charms, too. Also, flying! I really want to fly."

"Oh, me too!" Yixing gushed.

"It can be fun, but it's mostly uncomfortable," Jinwoo said. "Especially on long trips." Two sets of sparkling eyes turned to him. 

"You've flown a broomstick? For real?" 

"Well, a little?" Jinwoo said, taken aback. "You haven't?" 

They shook their heads, spellbound. Despite Jinwoo's ambivalence to broomsticks, he basked in their attention. He was, briefly, more fascinating to them than even the feast in front of them. Seunghoon's fork had stilled halfway to his mouth. 

So he told them the story, told on the island a thousand times, of that time he'd flown to the next island over and was caught in a storm. 

For the first time, with Yixing staring at him with wide eyes and Seunghoon gripping his arm in excitement and making incredulous noises, it sounded like a tale of heroics instead of misadventure.


End file.
